Texas Chrome (Grasshopper), whose sire was backed down to 30 cents on the dollar to win the GIII Super Derby nine years ago only to finish second, had run some sneaky good races against some familiar faces among this year's 3-year-old crop without breaking through. That all changed in the space of about 110 seconds Saturday afternoon at Louisiana Downs, as the Texas-bred colt engaged California raider Dalmore (Colonel John) to his outside at the head of the stretch and outpunched that one to the wire to claim a richly deserved big-race victory. Whateverybodywants (Giant Oak) validated his runner-up effort to Cupid (Tapit) in the GII West Virginia Derby with a third-place finish in Bossier City, but the disappointment of the race was favored Mo Tom (Uncle Mo), who had no pace to run at, but was beaten a long way from home and finished fifth.
Saturday, Louisiana Downs
SUPER DERBY-GIII, $392,000, LAD, 9-10, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:49.87, ft.
1–@TEXAS CHROME, 124, c, 3, by Grasshopper
1st Dam: Margarita Mistress, by Naevus
2nd Dam: Four O'Clock Post, by Regal Classic
3rd Dam: Fatal Hour, by Briartic
($10,000 Ylg '14 TEXOCT). O-Keene Thoroughbreds LLC;
B-Craig D. Upham (TX); T-J. R. Caldwell; J-C.J. McMahon.
$240,000. Lifetime Record: 12-7-1-3, $602,462.
Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Dalmore, 124, c, 3, Colonel John–Silver Breeze, by Silver
Deputy. ($47,000 Ylg '14 KEESEP). O-Big Chief Racing, LLC,
Rocker O Ranch, LLC & J. Keith Desormeaux; B-Sally J.
Andersen (FL); T-J. Keith Desormeaux. $72,000.
3–Whateverybodywants, 124, c, 3, Giant Oak–Bella Cardella,
by Hard Spun. O/B-The Farm 4 LLC (IL); T-Kellyn Gorder.
$40,000.
Margins: HF, 3/4, 8 1/4. Odds: 2.10, 1.90, 7.00.
Also Ran: Mending Fences, Mo Tom, Classy Bird, Fort Pulaski.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
A three-time stakes winner at two at Lone Star, Arapahoe Park and at Remington Park, Texas Chrome made a belated sophomore debut with a solid third in the six-furlong Bachelor S. at Oaklawn Park Apr. 15. Far too tough for his fellow state-breds when running out a 10 1/2-length winner of the Texas Stallion S. in Dallas May 15, he finished an even third behind Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GIII Matt Winn S. at Churchill Downs June 18 and returned on 13 days' rest to round out the exacta underneath subsequent GI Betfair.com Haskell Invitational S. second American Freedom (Pulpit) in the GIII Iowa Derby. In his most recent trip to the races, Texas Chrome had GIII Pat Day Mile hero Sharp Azteca (Freud) to beat in the Aug. 6 Prelude S. at this venue, but ran him down fair and square to earn this opportunity.
A market-firmer into 21-10 from 3-1 just before the load, Texas Chrome took up a spot in third behind the positively ridden Dalmore and Whateverybodywants and dropped back a spot entering the backstretch. Jockey C. J. McMahon had a chance to keep Texas Chrome wide in the clear, but instead opted for an inside track and by the time they'd reached the half-mile marker, Texas Chrome was in the thick of it from between horses. Dalmore led around the bend, but he raced well away from the fence, and McMahon pounced, sending Texas Chrome into a share of the lead with two furlongs to race. Swapping onto his right lead on cue, he proved that he was in for the fight, took Dalmore's best shot and reported home a game winner.
Pedigree Notes:
Texas Chrome is the first graded winner for Grasshopper who, along with Too Much Bling and Congaree, were recently relocated to Valor Farm upon the closure of Lane's End Farm's Texas satellite. Grasshopper earned his quote of long odds-on favoritism in the 2007 Super Derby courtesy of a runner-up effort to Street Sense (Street Cry {Ire}) in the GI Travers S. and went on to annex the following year's GIII Mineshaft H. for the lone graded victory of his career. Texas Chrome's 2-year-old full-sister Hoppy Hour and was in training at Penn National, but passed away earlier this year. He is kin to a yearling filly of this year by the Pulpit stallion Special Rate and a filly foal by Data Link (War Front).
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